The GirlPowerShipping Files
by VendettaAndGrudge
Summary: GirlPowerShipping: Just what does a relationship between Sinnoh's top Trainers look like? Things can get romantic, funny, and definitely a little weird. Take your own look into the life of Dawn and Cynthia as the couple tackles trials such as fending off an evil Glameow and arguing over who subscribed to a dirty magazine. One-shots, Yuri, and a whole lot of Girl Power await!
1. Cats

**Author's notes:**

I've been meaning to do three things: 1.) Start writing again. 2.) Write a GirlPowerShipping fanfic. 3.) Make use of fanfiction prompts. This is a good way to accomplish all three, I think. My ambition tends to wane, so if you like it, give me a review. If you hate it, give me a review. If you think I need to improve my writing and want to give me tips, give them to me in the form of a review. Reviews are what keep me going.  
Each story is its own prompt with its own rating. I probably won't surpass "T." If I do, I'll post an uncensored version with an appropriate rating as a separate one-shot. By the same token, Dawn's age is 16+ in all fics unless stated otherwise.  
Last note: If you like this pairing, I urge you to check out Turbotail88's 100-prompt GirlPowerShipping challenge, "Your Voice Is My Favourite Sound." Reading it gave me a lot of inspiration after years of inactivity on FF. Personal thanks to the author!  
Enjoy!

Prompt 1: Cats  
Rating: T

"Dawn… do we _have_ to do this?" an unhappy Cynthia groaned, eyeing her girlfriend pleadingly.

Dawn appeared surprised, if not a little annoyed, at Cynthia's discontent. Johanna's Glameow purred convincingly and nuzzled the blonde, further confusing Dawn as to why her girlfriend was so opposed to cat-sitting while her mother attended a contest in Hoenn. Cynthia just glared at the Pokémon and shooed it away. Sure, Glameow acted cute and friendly while Dawn was around, but when it was alone with Cynthia, it was _evil._ Pure, unadulterated evil.

"I don't understand why you dislike Glameow so much," Dawn pouted, picking the purring cat up to stroke its fur. "She just wants to be friends with you."

"Dawn, are you serious!?" Cynthia pointed angrily at the Pokémon, who was licking its tail happily. "That thing is a little jerk! Whenever you leave me alone with it, it uses Fury Swipes on my legs! Do you know how many innocent pairs of pants have died at its claws? One time it even vomited in my lap. It's a _demon_!"

Glameow mewed and buried its face in Dawn's arms, feigning hurt feelings. Dawn scratched the creature's head affectionately and walked past her girlfriend into the next room.

"There there, kitty. Cynthia's just mad because she's a Pokémon Master, but she can't even control a little cat. Now let's go get you some Poffins…"

The blonde harrumphed and plopped down on the living room couch. That cretin of a Pokémon _was_ evil, and someday she would prove it. She lay back against the cushions, pondering how to accomplish her goal…

"YEEEEEEOWCH!"

…but her thought process was stopped abruptly as Glameow sunk its teeth into her big toe. The Champion tried to pull her foot away, but Glameow held on for dear life, biting harder with Cynthia's every movement.

"Where… does… Johanna… keep… your… Pokéball?" Cynthia grunted between attempts to pry the cat off her foot. Eventually, the sound of approaching footsteps came from the adjacent kitchen, and Glameow knew that meant it was about to get a snack. It released Cynthia's toe and jumped down from the couch, greeting Dawn affectionately as she entered the room with a basket full of Poffins.

"There you go, Glameow," the Trainer said happily, setting the basket on the floor. Glameow purred with thanks and dug in, giving no indication that it had just tried to sever Cynthia's toe.

Dawn smiled and sat down on the couch next to her seething girlfriend. She boosted herself upward and gave Cynthia an apologetic kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry for what I said," she commented shyly. Cynthia just folded her arms and looked away angrily. What Dawn had said didn't bother her nearly as much as the fact that Glameow had just attacked her and got away with it. Determined to make things right, Dawn wrapped her arms around Cynthia's middle and gazed lovingly into her face.

"Will you at least let me make it up to you?" she asked with a wink.

Cynthia melted. Dawn did look pretty cute with that frisky expression on her face. And she smelled like Pinap Poffins, which were Cynthia's Pokémon's favorite.

"Well, I guess you can try…"

Dawn leaned upward and pressed her lips firmly against the older Trainer's. Cynthia opened her mouth and wrapped her arms around the back of Dawn's neck to deepen the kiss. The two stayed lip-locked for quite some time before Cynthia pushed Dawn back onto the cushions, grinning dangerously.

"So, how are you going to make it up to me, exactly…?" she asked seductively, running her finger down Dawn's abdomen. The younger girl had a response lined up that she thought Cynthia would find more than sufficient, but she never got to use it. Glameow appeared from out of the blue and lunged itself at Cynthia's back, clawing and hissing.

"THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT!"

As Cynthia jerked violently to try to break the cat's grip on her shirt, Dawn frantically searched her pockets for Glameow's Pokéball. Eventually she found it and recalled the feline monster to its ball, an expression of shock plastered on her face.

Cynthia practically twitched with rage. Dawn, stunned and sheepish, could only shake her head in disbelief.

"I see what you mean…"

The Champion shot her girlfriend a glare that bordered on murderous, and then proceeded to take a seat on the floor, drawing her legs in and wrapping her arms around them like a trauma victim. Dawn slumped down next to her and checked to see if she was injured.

"Well, I guess something good came from this," Cynthia grunted as Dawn searched her back and neck for scratches.

"Hm?"

Without another word, the blonde tackled her, effortlessly pinning her thin arms over her head.

"Now you're _really_ going to have to make it up to me."

**AN: So, what do you think? Is this worth continuing? I'll post the next few prompts for now, but like I said, I'll only bother continuing if I think people care…**


	2. Contagious

Prompt 2: Contagious  
Rating: K

Cynthia clutched her head and let out a grunt of pain. She had felt this way since the night before. Her body ached, her stomach was churning, and she was so cold that she felt like putting on a parka. She gripped her silk bedsheets and pulled them over her face, hoping the darkness would lull her back to sleep. No such luck. The blonde turned to the alarm clock by her bedside and found that it was 6:00. It would be light soon, and she was never able to sleep during the daytime.

The Champion rolled out of bed carefully, trying not to wake her girlfriend Dawn in the process. She made her way into the bathroom and pulled a thermometer from the sink, inserting it under her tongue. A minute later she pulled it out to find her fever had climbed to 103.

"_Ugh,_" she thought distastefully. _"Definitely influenza…"_

While Cynthia was pondering which aspirin to take, she heard a shuffling sound come from the bedroom. Her morning person of a girlfriend sprung out of bed and noticed her standing in the connecting bathroom. With a huge grin, she bounded over to the blonde, tackling her in a huge hug.

"Good morning, beautiful!" Dawn exclaimed cheerfully, causing Cynthia's ears to hurt. The black-haired girl spun around and attempted to plant a kiss on Cynthia's lips, but the latter skillfully dodged the sign of affection, effectively causing Dawn to trip and fall on her face.

"Sorry, babe," Cynthia muttered, pulling the smaller girl to her feet. Dawn contorted her features into an unhappy expression, folding her arms over her chest and pouting angrily. Cynthia almost laughed. She looked like a rejected Jigglypuff.

"I think I have the flu," the Champion explained. "I don't want you to catch it from me."

Dawn's expression softened. She raised a hand to her lover's forehead and then recoiled at how hot it was.

"You're burning up!" she expressed with a concerned urgency. "We need to get you to an emergency room now!"

The younger girl ran back to the bedroom and pulled a Pokéball from the dresser drawer. She was about to release Cynthia's Togekiss and have it fly them to the hospital in Sunyshore City, but the Champion put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Calm down, Dawn," she said with a weary smile. The younger girl's constant enthusiasm was endearing. "We don't need to be so hasty. I've had the flu before, and I've survived."

"But Cynthia! We n—"

"Dawn, please lower the volume. I have such a headache…"

Dawn nodded sheepishly. She took her girlfriend's hand and held it, looking worriedly into her deep gray eyes.

"Just promise me if it gets worse, you'll let me take you to a doctor," she said quietly, handing Cynthia a bottle of painkillers.

Cynthia smiled and popped the lid off the container. "I promise, Princess." She downed three pills and stretched tiredly. She hadn't slept well the night before. The aching in her back had been too distracting.

Dawn noticed her exhaustion and motioned toward the bedroom with her head. "You should get some more sleep."

The Champion shrugged gloomily. "You know I can't do that after sunrise…"

Dawn put a hand on her chin and thought for a moment. Meanwhile, Cynthia read the label on the pill container, checking to make sure she hadn't accidentally overdosed. She was brought out of her reverie, however, by a loud expression of realization from her girlfriend.

"I know what to do!" Dawn chirped. She took Cynthia's hand and led her back into the bedroom.

"Lie down and turn onto your side," she instructed. The Champion obeyed a little reluctantly, as she knew how fruitless attempts at naps had been in the past.

To her surprise, Dawn lay down next to her and wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace. Cynthia felt warm and comfortable, and realized she was getting drowsy.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked her girlfriend sleepily. "I might be contagious…"

Dawn smiled and kissed the older girl's shoulder.

"I don't care."


	3. Playboy

Prompt 3: Playboy  
Rating: T

"What the hell is this, Cynthia!?" Dawn shouted, throwing the magazine into her girlfriend's lap. She had been horrified at the contents of the day's mail. Cynthia, who Dawn had always imagined was so refined and classy, was a subscriber to… to… she couldn't bring herself to even think the word.

"You know," the blonde replied with an indignant blush, "It's technically a felony to open packages that aren't addressed to you…"

Dawn stomped her foot, balling her fists tightly. "I don't CARE!" she yelled. "Explain this NOW!"

Cynthia rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. "Would you just calm down? It's actually not that big a deal." Dawn, however, seemed to think it was. Her face was redder than a Darumaka's, and the Champion could have sworn she saw her mouth foam slightly. The emotional brunette's expression changed from one of rage to hurt in a millisecond.

"I'm not good enough, am I?" she choked. "I mean, why would I be? I'm nothing like the girls in this magazine…"

Cynthia grimaced, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with guilt. Dawn was gorgeous and usually very sure of herself, but she always felt unnecessarily insecure where other women were involved. The blonde stood up and tightly hugged her girlfriend, stroking her hair comfortingly.

"Why would you even think that, Dawn?" she soothed. "Do you know how many girls would kill to be as beautiful as you?"

Cynthia cupped the brunette's face and brought her own down to make eye contact. She smiled at her younger girlfriend's still-innocent features, taking in how charming she was on all levels.

"If you ask me," she continued adoringly, "you'd be hard-pressed to find someone quite as lovely on the inside-out."

Dawn seemed sated by her lover's words and buried her face into the crook of her neck. Cynthia just held her, relishing the warmth the smaller girl emanated. After a few minutes of calming down, Dawn raised her face to make eye contact and furrowed her brow.

"Why do you have this, then?"

Cynthia went crimson. She rubbed her neck embarrassedly and let her eyes wander. "Well… I mean, I WAS single once. 'Playboy' is generally considered required reading for the lonely bachelor… or lonely lesbian bachelorette…"

Dawn's sadness had vanished. Instead she just looked unimpressed. She folded her arms and frowned disapprovingly. Cynthia turned a darker shade of red and turned her head to avoid the judgmental glare. But the brunette would not relent.

"Jeez, Dawn!" cried the flustered Champion. "I subscribed to that magazine before you were even legal! What else do I have to say!?"

"That you'll _cancel_ the subscription…" she muttered, eyeing her girlfriend suspiciously.

The blonde turned her palms upward in exhaustion. "Okay, Princess. Whatever you want."

Cynthia walked past Dawn into the kitchen to make the cancellation call on their landline. She picked up the receiver, but then hung it back up mischievously, smirking at the brunette.

"So, Dawn…" she mused, getting the younger girl's attention. "If I do this for you, does it mean you'll clean up your internet search habits a little?"

Dawn's eyes opened wide in shock as Cynthia's smirk grew. _"Stalemate," _she thought.

"W-what? How did you…? I mean, isn't it a felony to go through someone's browser history or something!?"

Cynthia grinned like a Cheshire cat. "What? Am I not good enough?"


	4. Coffee Shop

Prompt 4: Coffee Shop  
Rating: T  
AU World

_"Another day on minimum wage…"_ Dawn thought unhappily, topping off a latté with whipped cream. She feigned a hospitable smile and handed it to the customer, a middle-aged man with graying hair. He accepted it wordlessly, and then frowned.

"I didn't want whipped cream," he commented, handing the coffee back.

Dawn had to physically stop her eyes from rolling back into her skull. He had watched her top the latté. Why didn't he stop her before she had already done it?

The barista couldn't muster a false apology. She simply took the drink back, dumped it in the sink, and started a new one.

This was every day for Dawn Berlitz. Stupid, demanding people coming in one after another, making complicated orders without articulating every detail correctly, complaining to the manager about the customer service when she didn't smile like a Barbie doll after making the same drink for the fiftieth time of the day. It was enough to drive anyone insane.

But college wouldn't pay for itself.

And that was her only incentive to survive the monotony.

Dawn groaned and checked her watch, relieved to find it was finally time to shoo all MacBook-toting hipsters out and close the shop. The manager, Zoey, led the flannel-clad mass exodus while Dawn wiped down the cappuccino machine. That was her least favorite job. (Well, her least favorite job that didn't require human interaction, anyway.) It took forever, and whoever did it was guaranteed to be the last person out the door. The "lock-up monkey," as Zoey so sensitively put it. Somehow, Dawn always seemed to get stuck with the task.

Forty-five minutes later, the barista was nearly finished. Visions of going home and jumping into bed for a good night's sleep played in her head and encouraged her to move faster. She was so lost in her reverie that she hardly noticed the front door swing open and the cold night air spill into the building. The brunette pursed her lips glumly. She had already had more than enough human contact for one day.

"Sorry, we're closed." she stated firmly, not looking at the customer. Dawn had long since learned that if you were stubborn enough, people who came in after hours looking for service would just leave. Unbeknownst to her, she would soon find that this customer was stubborn enough for the both of them.

"You're not closed. The lights are on and there's still someone behind the counter."

Dawn grimaced and turned to face the trespasser. The intruder, a twenty-something blonde, smiled prettily, catching Dawn off-guard. But she wouldn't lose her composure. She was going home and sleeping and that was final.

"We're closed," she repeated, this time having to force herself not to make eye contact. "Come back tomorrow."

"But I need a pick-me-up today," the woman responded, taking a seat at the bar. "If I come back tomorrow, I'll need two pick-me-ups. And then I'll be here bothering you even longer."

The expression on Dawn's face was a cross between _"You have bested me at my own game,"_ and _"I want you DEAD."_ But the stranger didn't seem to notice. She stretched her arms until they cracked and let her eyes roam toward the menu board. The barista huffed in defeat. The sooner she served this weirdo, the sooner she could leave.

"What can I get you?"

The blonde woman smiled broadly. "Well, Dawn, since you asked... I'll have a vanilla cream latté. Extra-large." Dawn frowned dully. She hated wearing a nametag.

"That's a lot of caffeine so late at night," the barista grumbled more to herself than the customer. She pumped three squirts of vanilla flavoring into the cardboard cup and followed it up with coffee and cream, stirring carefully.

"So what's your favorite latté, Dawn?" the blonde asked as Dawn put the finishing touches on her drink.

"The white chocolate one, I guess."

"Isn't that the same as vanilla?"

Dawn furrowed her brow and stopped applying whipped cream to the customer's coffee. Why was she trying to make small talk? Who in the right mind would want to have a meaningless conversation about artificial flavoring at such an hour? The barista dismissed the thought and continued what she was doing. _"The sooner I serve her, the sooner I can leave."_

"No. They're different." Dawn handed the stranger her drink, suppressing a yawn. "The vanilla syrup is much sweeter."

The woman thanked her. There was a sincerity in her voice that Dawn would probably have appreciated had she not been so tired. She turned her attention back to cleaning the cappuccino machine, but it wasn't long before the blonde once again caught her unawares.

"Why do you work here?"

"…What?"

"Why do you work here?" the odd blond repeated sweetly. "Is it because you like this job, or because you're biding your time until something better comes along?"

"I'm saving money for college…" Dawn answered cautiously, wondering just who she was giving her personal information. "I like this job about as much as I like getting punched in the face."

"Masochists like getting punched in the face," the customer retorted, taking the finished latté and sipping it. "It gratifies them. This is delicious, by the way."

Dawn stared at the woman like she had four heads. Her mother had once warned her that society's strangest tended to show up when you worked night shifts. She now saw that that had been a valid statement. Still, there was something about this woman that was appealing. She obviously had a quirky personality, a quality which Dawn had always found inexplicably attractive in a person.

"If it makes you feel any better, Dawn…" the blonde mused, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, "My job is also about as fun as getting punched in the face… and I'm not a masochist."

A car drove noisily by the shop window, drowning out the customer's last few words. Its headlights blared and fell softly onto the back wall, illuminating her face in the process. Dawn swallowed hard, noticing how pure her steel-colored eyes were. She could almost see herself reflected in them.

"Um…" she stuttered, trying to reorient herself and remember that her goal was to get the woman to leave. Unfortunately, she couldn't bring herself to do it. "What do you do?"

The barista mentally slapped herself for asking. _"That's not getting her to LEAVE. That's getting her to stay longer, you idiot!"_ But something in her gut was overtaking her rationality. Maybe she did want her to stay longer…

"I always wanted to be an archaeologist… but instead I do something so important that it makes the President look like a mall cop," the woman answered sarcastically, tapping her hands against the bar to simulate a drumroll. "I sell insurance."

Dawn smirked. "I can see why. You're pretty persistent."

"Persistent when it counts," the customer winked, causing Dawn to blush in spite of herself. Had she been implying something?

She continued. "But you're pretty persistent too. You almost convinced me into thinking you actually wanted me to leave."

"I _did_ want you to leave."

"But you don't now. I can tell."

Dawn's face contorted with confusion for the millionth time since meeting the blonde. "How can you tell?"

The woman shook her head with a knowing smile and put her cup down. Dawn noted that she had chugged her coffee faster than most businessmen on their lunch hour.

"I can tell a lot of things, Dawn." she stated, leaning in closer over the bar. "I can tell that we could be friends. Good friends…"

Dawn nodded gingerly, urging her to keep talking. But it was unnecessary. The blonde was going to do so whether Dawn wanted to hear it or not. Which she did.

"I can tell that we could go all the way. You know. Fall madly in love, get married, have kids, grow old and die together… It could happen. Of course, you'd have to ask me out first."

By this time Dawn was completely red in the face. "You're… you're delusional." She turned away and locked the cash register, signaling that this time the store really was closed and that her blonde guest would have to leave. Her head was proud of her, but the feeling in her gut said otherwise.

The blonde sighed good-naturedly and stood up, making her way to the exit. The barista watched her out of the corner of her eye and felt her heart drop when she realized that the woman might actually leave.

"Wait."

Dawn was no longer running on even a bit of rational thought. The weird blonde was right. Any one decision could lead to years of possibilities. There was potential in everything, if you were optimistic. So it couldn't hurt to try, could it…?

"I get off at nine tomorrow..." she said slowly, hoping the woman would take the bait.

The customer nodded to affirm her statement. "I'm glad to hear that, Dawn. I'll be here." She turned tail and walked slowly out the door, leaving the younger girl very confused, yet very happy.

After she left, a strange realization hit Dawn. She didn't even know the woman's name. The barista blushed, embarrassed that she had forgotten to ask. She eventually brushed it off with a wave of her hand. She had all the time in the world to get to know the blonde, and she would start tomorrow. Maybe daily life didn't have to be so monotonous, after all.

Dawn exited the shop and made her way over to her car. As she opened the doors to get inside, another thought came to her. She'd have to find a way to trick Zoey into being the lock-up monkey from now on.


	5. Mistletoe (part 1)

Prompt 5: Mistletoe (part 1)  
Rating: T

"Darn it," Dawn mumbled dejectedly, exiting the florist's shop with Barry and Lucas in tow. "You wouldn't think it'd be this hard to find some lousy mistletoe…"

Barry rolled his eyes while groaning simultaneously. "You're not gonna get it, Dawn," he griped, pulling his green scarf over his face to defend against the cold. "I mean, we've already been to like four flower shops."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "Not to mention mistletoe isn't even native to Sinnoh. It comes from trees that grow in Hoenn…"

The blond boy's eyes bulged at his companion's statement. He had missed a day of training with his beloved Torterra to accompany Dawn on this wild goose chase to track down some stupid plant. Learning that the thing didn't even grow in their region distressed him. He could never get this time back!

"What do you even need mistletoe for, Dawn!?" Barry cried confusedly, grabbing the girl by the shoulders and shaking her. "Your Pokémon are just going to eat it!"

Dawn responded by elbowing her friend sharply in the stomach. His hyperactivity could wear on her nerves at times.

"I already _told_ you why I need it," the brunette pouted, crossing her arms over her chest as Barry writhed. "You're supposed to hang it from the ceiling. Then you stand under it, and whoever gets caught standing under it with you has to kiss you."

"It's a winter tradition in some parts of the world," Lucas added. "And besides, mistletoe is poisonous. You should keep it away from your Pokémon."

Barry's face went red with frustration. He kicked a clump of snow on the ground with all his might. "So basically I'm just helping you get some make out time!?"

"Basically…" Dawn admitted.

Lucas smiled shyly. "I think it's romantic…"

Barry had had quite enough. He stormed off into the thick winter fog, muttering something about how he should fine Dawn ten million Pokédollars for wasting his day, and something else about how Lucas was a sissy.

The two remaining Trainers shrugged off Barry's departure without much thought. It was usually better to leave him to his own devices when he was in high dudgeon. He would calm down eventually. Once the annoyed blond was out of sight, Lucas turned to Dawn with a playful look on his face.

"So I take it you'll be hanging it someplace Cynthia is likely to walk?"

Dawn blushed and nodded. She and Cynthia had been dating for a couple of weeks, but it was only causal and they weren't officially a couple. If Dawn was being honest, she wasn't even sure Cynthia _wanted_ a relationship. But Dawn certainly did. The time she and Cynthia spent together was incredible. Cynthia was considerate, smart, well-spoken, and easy to be with. A very welcome change from the immature girls Dawn had dated in the past.

"She's really something, Lucas." Dawn said quietly, adjusting her trademark white hat. "I thought this might be a cute way to let her know how I feel…"

"It's perfect," Lucas affirmed with a big grin. His expression then changed to one of consideration. "But is Cynthia familiar with the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe? Going by Barry's confusion, it seems like some people in this country aren't."

"She probably is," Dawn shrugged. "As Champion, she's been around the world dozens of times. Cynthia's also a lot more cultured than Barry, so I don't think it will be a problem."

Lucas chuckled. "Well, good. Now let's think. Where could we find some? The flower shops aren't working…" After a moment, the boy snapped his fingers in realization.

"Belladonna!"

Dawn furrowed her brow in confusion, silently asking her friend for clarification.

"Belladonna is my Leafeon," he explained. "She can sniff out rare plants from miles away." With that, he withdrew a Pokéball from his pocket and released the creature into the open. It materialized in a soft red light, shivering as it felt the cold winter air.

"Belladonna," the Trainer repeated, "do you think you could find some mistletoe for Dawn?"

The Pokémon cried in understanding and ran off to tackle its mission. Dawn beamed at Lucas's willingness to help. He really was a sweet friend.

"I really owe you one," she giggled, playfully punching his shoulder.

The boy shook his head with that goofy grin everybody loved. "Just promise me you'll let me be the best man at your wedding!"


	6. Mistletoe (part 2)

Prompt 6: Mistletoe (part 2)  
Rating: T

Dawn and Lucas lounged around the Sunyshore City Pokémon Center, waiting for Leafeon to return. They had been waiting for the better part of three hours, which was admittedly much longer than Lucas had anticipated. When he sent Leafeon to locate rare berries, she was usually back within 45 minutes. Mistletoe must have been even rarer in Sinnoh than he'd imagined.

Dawn stroked her Empoleon's feathers absentmindedly. She was silently planning her mistletoe maneuver. When Cynthia knew Dawn was coming over, she didn't bother to lock the door to her house. Dawn could call Cynthia in advance to ensure the door was unlocked and then sneak in and hang the mistletoe… but where? The brunette pondered what the best location for their first kiss might be. Maybe the doorway to the kitchen? She shook her head. In spite of her general maturity, Cynthia didn't exactly keep a clean house. Her kitchen was always cluttered and full of crusty dishes and pans that gave off not-so-pleasant smells. Not a good environment for romance. Over the stairwell? No. Dawn was usually pretty graceful, but when clumsiness struck her, it struck hard. The potential for disaster was too high on the stairs. She continued to think. On the doorframe of Cynthia's bedroom? Dawn felt her face flush. That might just make her seem desperate.

The brunette sighed, realizing she might as well not worry about it yet. Maybe some location in Cynthia's house would strike her fancy once she was actually there. For now, the main concern was whether Leafeon would ever actually return. Dawn stole a glance at Lucas, noticing he had a very worried expression on his face. It was understandable. Dawn would be pacing the floor in anxiety if it had been one of her Pokémon out so long.

Another hour passed, and Lucas was really getting nervous. It had started to snow, and like any grass-type Pokémon, Leafeon did not do well against the cold and ice. After fifteen more minutes of high nerves, a frost-covered Leafeon finally appeared at the Pokémon Center doorway, looking exhausted and pained, but with a small, green plant in its mouth.

"Belladonna!" Lucas cried out in relief, helping the Pokémon inside. Leafeon dropped the plant on the tile floor as its Trainer rushed over to help. "Thank Arceus you're back!"

"She might have frostbite," Dawn remarked as she ran to Lucas's side, whipping out her Berry Pouch. "Quick, give her these Aspear Berries."

Both Lucas and Leafeon cast the brunette a grateful look. "You'll be okay, Belladonna…" Lucas breathed, feeding his Pokémon the berries as his eyes clouded over with tears of relief. Sunyshore's Nurse Joy and her Chansey had rushed onto the scene, and had started checking Leafeon's vital signs. Thankfully, the Aspear Berries were kicking in, and Leafeon was already looking significantly healthier. Chansey gave Dawn a nod of approval as Nurse Joy guided Leafeon into the operating room to run some further tests.

In unison, Lucas and Dawn breathed the exhausted sigh that inevitably follows such a harrowing experience. Dawn rubbed the back of her neck, feeling guilty over her part in the episode.

"Lucas…" she said quietly, needing to force herself to make eye contact. "I'm really sorry Belladonna got hurt on my account…"

The male Trainer shook his head with a weary smile, and put an arm around Dawn's shoulder to comfort her.

"You don't have to be sorry. You saved her back there."

Dawn wrung her hands together sheepishly, as Lucas continued.

"Look, Dawn. She's going to be fine. Nurse Joy is taking care of her, just to be sure."

Lucas stood up and stretched. The tension had made his muscles stiff, and it felt great to move. Suddenly, his expression brightened significantly, and he smiled at Dawn. The change in his mood had been so abrupt and unexpected that she couldn't help feeling confused. She furrowed her brow and turned her palms upward as if to say "you're awfully happy for a guy whose Pokémon just nearly became an ice sculpture."

In response to her confusion, Lucas walked over to the doorway where Leafeon had struggled in. Dawn followed curiously. There, on the floor, lay the small plant they had seen the Pokémon carrying in its mouth. Lucas picked up and held it up to the light, just to make sure it was the real deal. Once he was satisfied with its authenticity, he smiled, winked at Dawn, and held it out to her.

"Bingo!" he proclaimed proudly, handing her the fruit of Leafeon's struggle. "Mistletoe for two, anyone?"

Dawn beamed as she examined the plant. It looked exactly like the mistletoe in the movies: dark green with small leaves and red berries. The female trainer giggled happily and wrapped her arms around Lucas in a bear hug.

"You… are… the… best… friend… EVER!" she exclaimed between squeezes. Lucas gave an awkward grin that came as a result of being happy, but struggling to breathe. Eventually, Dawn's grip lightened and he inhaled, regaining his composure.

"So…" he breathed, eyeing Dawn slyly. "Shouldn't you be on your way to Cynthia's?"

Dawn nodded vigorously, turned tail, and sped off out the door. When she was out of sight, Lucas yawned and lowered himself onto one of the Center's brightly-colored couches to wait for his Leafeon to finish being treated by Nurse Joy. Sleep was overtaking him as he heard the sliding doors reopen and footsteps running back inside.

"Hey, Lucas!" he barely heard Dawn's voice through his drowsy stupor.

"Hm? Wha…?"

"Hey, Lucas, when Belladonna gets better, tell her to expect a whole case full of Poffins!"

**AN: Thanks a whole lot for your interest, all of you! I'm so happy you like this story! So, as you can see, the Mistletoe prompt is going to be a 3-parter. Expect some Cynthia and some GirlPowerShipping romance in Part 3!**


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